Figure 5.

Oxidised LDL inhibits a wide variety of NLRP3 inflammasome activators. (a) Primary macrophages were primed with LPS for 3 h, then oxidised LDL 400 µg mL⁻¹ was added for 3 h, after which the cells were activated with ATP 5 mm for 30 min, nigericin 10 μm for 1 h or MSU crystals 200 µg mL⁻¹ for 4 h. Secretion of IL‐1β was analysed from cell culture media by ELISA. Data are expressed relative to activation alone (control). (b) Primary monocytes were primed with LPS for 4 h 45 min, during which oxLDL 400 µg mL⁻¹ was added for indicated times and the cells were activated with ATP for the last 45 min of the incubation. Caspase‐1 activity was analysed from culture media and is expressed as relative luminescence units (RLU). (c) Primary macrophages were primed with LPS for 3 h, then subjected to oxLDL for 3 h and activated with ATP (5 mm, 30 min). The expression of IL1B and NLRP3 mRNA was analysed by quantitative real‐time RT‐PCR and is expressed as arbitrary units (a.u.) relative to GAPDH. The mean values shown are from 7 (a) and 4 (b, c) experiments. ***P < 0.001, ****P < 0.0001.